


Avariando: The Unwilling Gate

by ArloRhode



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Eleventh Walker HAHA, F/F, F/M, Original Character(s), POV Multiple, POV Original Female Character, Pyromancy Curses!!!, Tenth Walker, Time Loop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-19
Updated: 2015-12-08
Packaged: 2018-05-02 08:56:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5242334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArloRhode/pseuds/ArloRhode
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A girl and her friend begin to understand the strange gift that she possesses as they join the path of the Fellowship, attempting to aide them in victory, where so many of their predecessors have failed. The fierce bond between them is strained, as the two are torn between their confusion, duty, and eventually...the strangers they have come to care about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ch1: In Which You Will Understand Nothing

DISCLAIMER: None of Tolkien's characters are mine, except for the ones I have invented...but honestly, you can all have them too. Sharing is caring :)

AUTHORS NOTE: You guys are my favorite.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Which, nope." -Jackie Fierro, Welcome to Nightvale

ISI

Isi thought being social was a really, really bad idea. Attachments are a bad idea, just in general, so WHY DO I EVEN….

"I know what you are thinking, 'Why do you even bother?'" Journey's voice came from behind her, and hands covered Isi's eyes. She sighed. Her friend laughed, circling around in front of Isi, playfully pushing her laptop shut. "But you gotta remember, it's not about the destination, it about the journey."

"That doesn't even apply to this situation," Isi couldn't help smiling, as her friend pulled her up of the grass. "And you can't always use that line."

"Sure I can, it's got my name in it." Journey flipped her hair over her shoulder, causing her tank top strap to shift.

"Regretting that shirt yet?" Isi tucked her computer into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as Journey laughed a "What? Never!" and dragged her towards the rest of the party. Everywhere, there were people she didn't know.

Well, Isi knew of them. She knew none of them were a threat. She had made sure of that before she and Journey and finished the enrollment process. God, thats is depressing. Isi grabbed a Dr. Pepper. Even with this community college being 65% old men, Journey still managed to make friends with enough people their age to get invited to these party-attempts. It was a drag for Isi, but she liked seeing Journey happy, and if she just really needed Isi to be her wingwoman, then it was the least she could do.

Journey was good at making friends. Rather, she attracted them unintentionally. She was just that kind of person, unconventionally beautiful. The sort of girl everyone found lovely, without being intimidating. Isi knew this from personal experience, but also because when people at her new school did speak to her, they said "Oh, you are Journey's sister? Oh my god, she is great. You know, she was the first person I talked to her, and she was just so sweet…" That kind of thing. Of course, they weren't really sisters, but it was the easiest explanation for their situation.

Isi wasn't jealous of Journey. She got angry, though, when Journey, Isi's best friend, the only person who understood her, had her loving nature exploited by ASSHOLES. So Isi wasn't jealous. She was possessive. And besides, she didn't let herself get angry anymore, so it wasn't a problem.

Journey pulled her onto the couch next to her, and Isi gave a "smile" to the people sitting around them, who were laughing and mostly drunk. There were introductions that no one would remember in two seconds. There was guacamole. A quiet guy came in, ("brooding" is what Journey would call him) and offered her a beer. She told him she didn't drink, and his eyes flashed as he offered to grab her a lemonade instead. Isi told him sure.

The conversation lulled, and Isi had finished her soda. Wiping her hand on her jeans, she glanced at her wrist. 11:23, said her watch. The guy was back, and he swapped her can for a brandy glass full of lemonade. He tossed it into the trashcan in the corner, mumbling to his friend, "Hey, dude, shoootttt!" He missed the trashcan. Their little community college did not have much of a basketball team, to say the least. 

Isi downed the lemonade, and Brooding Guy sat on the ottoman. Pursing her lips, she was about to suggest that she and Journey take off, when the girl sitting across from her suggested everyone play truth or dare. Isi rolled her eyes, and slumped over, her fists on her forehead. She closed her eyes, leaning on her knees while some others did the whole "Sure," "Haha tooootally," "Ugh, you guys. Ok…" drunk-affirmation thing. She was starting to get a headache, she'd been up for 20 hours at this point.

The girl who had suggested it giggled, and asked the guy who'd just joined the group, "Truth or Dare?"

When he chose dare, he had to chug a beer. Sooooo creative, Isi internally judged everyone in the room. Journey saw it on her face, and chuckled. Everyone went around, people drank more, a house plant was burned, Journey was asked just what color her hair was ("Espresso" she said, causing the other girls to launch into an interrogation on Journey's hair perfection,) and Isi was pretty sure that dude's eyebrow would still be blue tomorrow morning. God, she felt like shit, but this was pretty fun. I guess, Isi thought. Voices got kind of far way, but someone put some music on, so when Brooding Guy grabbed her elbow, she danced with him. It was weird. He was so fuzzy around the edges. After what seemed like only a second, she was staggering dooooowwwnnnn the hall with him. Isi didn't think she had feet. That's cool, she thought. The Brooding Guy handed her a shot glass, and helped her drink it. They were in a dark room, and the guy was going to kiss her, Isi thought, but then she felt the fire. In her stomach first, and then everywhere else. And it hurt so badly that Isi, the intense heat bringing back her rationality, got up and found the bathroom a few paces away, and locked the door.

Because she needed to get away from that asshole. Because he had put something in the damn lemonade, probably, and she hadn't been in a good enough state of mind to turn down the shot. Because Isi didn't drink. Because alcohol was flammable.

JOURNEY

"My Isithrang, I have asked your father to give this to you for when you come of age, for I hope that with your growing age you will come to forgive me for leaving you, and appreciate the responsibility I pass to you. The Token I give you, is a key, for you are the 'Avariando.' The Unwilling Gate. It is a gift to my line, which I would have given to you in person, had not the Calling taken me. It is not something I can control. When I pass on, it will be transferred to you. You will need the Token to control it. I know this does not make a lot of sense to you now, but this little pendant will hold great influence over your new path. The means by which you return it to the Earth will dictate your own power, your tool as the Avariando to serve your people. Of course, your allegiance is now split between Man and Elf-kind, which I can only blame myself for… But I loved your father. I blame myself for this burden, but it is yours now. Choose well, my daughter, for time is tentative, and you must break its loop, should I fail in my own attempt to do so. If I fail, you must show Middle Earth's heroes the correct path. All of my love, your mother, Uirdis."

Journey had kept that letter. She had it in a ziplock bag in her suitcase at home. Bottom zipper pocket, top shelf of the closet, away where Journey couldn't lose it, and Isi wouldn't see it. Journey cursed herself. What was the use of running for so long and ignoring so much if Journey let some asshole guy mess with Isi's head like this?

Journey kicked Aaron out of the bedroom, silencing the ring on her cell phone. She knocked lightly on the bathroom door. It opened, revealing a drenched Isi. She had had the good sense to turn on the bathtub. "Isi, I am so sorry. This is all my fault," she started.

Isi turned around, drying already. "Don't, ok?" she replied.

Journey looked around the room, surveying for damage. "Was it bad?"

"Just the rug," Isi pointed to the charred bathmat on the floor, pulling the plug on the tub's drain. "I fell on it. And the pager." Isi threw the watch they'd gotten (just for this scenario) into the trash bin.

"We'll get another one." Journey murmured.

"We're going home," Isi was dry at this point, eyes glowing.

"Okay, okay, but just don't do anything…" Journey started. Isi turned on her, the glow gone, composed again.

"Stop that. I don't DO that kind of thing anymore, ok?" She stormed out. Journey chased her, stopping only when Aaron appeared, barring the front door to Isi, a drunk smirk dividing his face into two parts.

"N...Need a ride, sweetheart?" he burped. Isi breathed.

"No thanks, I'm taking the bus," she pushed past him, into the night, thens stopped. "Oh, wait, I can't do that, can I!" she whirled around to face Aaron. Journey shoved under his arm, taking Isi's shoulder. Aarons buddies looked at them, peeking around the door frame. Isi wiped her brow, "Yeah, I left my bus money on your mom's dresser! Can't believe I forgot! Oh well, we're walking." she gave Aaron the finger, and turned to join Journey. They made their way to the street, and Journey could hear Aaron's friends laughing at him.

When the lights of the party gave way to shadows, and bad Charlie- X-Whatever-It-Was-Crap faded into the nighttime noises, Journey glanced at Isi. Her curls bounced behind her, and she steamed. Sometimes, when it was cold, she did that. There were a lot of things Isi sometimes did. Occasionally unleashing an internal fire was just part of it. Journey wondered what was going on inside that girl's head, right then. She didn't like to lose control. Heck, since the night Isi's father had died, she had been drilling discipline into every recess of her mind. Bouncing around from dojo to dojo, even taking an "intensive underground dance" class famous for breaking toes (which didn't happen to Isi, because she was too cool - or too hot, rather- for injuries. Still, the acrobatics-in-drainage-pipes-thing was pretty insane.) Finally, when Isi turned 17, she enrolled in a Navy training school, which she quit the day before graduation. Isi didn't want to be in the marines. She wanted to be disciplined, to be so tired every night that she would have no nightmares, to tame her fire with 45 miles of cold ocean water...And it worked.

Journey didn't understand it, but after a while, she recognized its value. Because now, Isi was basically (as Journey liked to say) "A FRICKIN SAMURAI!" which was not at all politically correct but perfectly fitting for Isi's demeanor. Isi worked really hard. She had finally felt like the two could settle down, finish school, and even tried to let loose every now and then for Journey's sake. Isi had found a balance, reading all the time, learning how to relax. But now Journey had gone and wrecked it.

Isi had slowed her pace a little, allowing Journey to fall into step beside her. Watching her push her hair away from her face, Journey still smiled. Isi was the best person she had ever known…

"You're cold now, huh…" Isi frowned at Journey, taking off her hoodie. Journey accepted it with a sigh, because she was (summer shirts in the Connecticut September are bad choices), and she knew better than to argue: Isi didn't get cold. Isi, in her long sleeves and flowy over-sweater-thing, looked old, her scarf whipping around her in the breeze. In a sense, she was. Journey made to take her hand.

That's when Isi stopped moving.

Frozen, lips parted, eyes wide, Isi looked like she was realizing something for the first time, and she turned towards the woods to her left. She began to lurch a few feet to its edge. Her feet crunched the pine needles there.

"Isi?" Journey asked.

And, without any other introduction, a hole opened in the earth, glowing a beautiful haze, the color of tea and sun and bronze haired boys and spanish guitar in the summer. So much. Journey understood why Isi was lurching towards it...But she snapped out of the trance.

"Isi!" she was panicky. "Wait a second!" But Isi did not. There was nothing else. Only the light. A rock formed in Journey's stomach, and suddenly, without a doubt... Journey knew that if Isi went through, she would not see her again.

In the time it took for Isi to cross the distance, Journey felt the fear of seven years flood over her. She could not, and would not risk losing her friend again. Besides, she had already decided: Journey would follow her sister anywhwere. She lunged, wrapped her arms around Isi, and fell.

In the eternity of descent, through all that light… Journey's eyes closed. And she dreamed she was 15. And so was Isi.

They had been friends for as long as they'd had the capacity to speak, and Journey loved her. That night, they'd sat together in the dark. Because Isi's father was sick, and as much as all the lawyers sugar-coated it, they knew it would be soon. He would be gone soon, and Isi would not have either of her parents. And Isi had had to go through her father's study, looking for old paperwork, because her father's lawyer had told her "Your father wanted me to help him get some things sorted out, so his daughter would be ok if things took a turn for the worst."

Imagine being a kid, going through all the memories your parent had locked away from you, so that you could help them write their will. It was the shittiest day either of them could think of, and it got worse. The study smelled like Isi's dad, and it was slow work. A set of keys, given to Isi by that lawyer who'd been "just keepin' it safe for your dad" unlocked a set of cabinets. They'd found the letter. It had Isi's name on it. As she opened it, they knew it was from her. Isi's mother. And after that, there was no going back. Isi had read it, pulled out the Token. Her shaking hand had dropped the crumpled letter the the ground. After a minute, Isi began to cry. She screamed. And she ran to the hearth. And she threw in the little, wooden pendent. And she watched it burn.

But she didn't stop screaming. The pair knew now, all these years later, that Isi had followed her mother instructions in doing that, except for the "choose wisely" part. Because, in Isi's anger, she destroyed her mother's gift, and in doing so she had unintentionally chosen. And fire was a bad choice. It burned Isi, and it burned the whole room as she screamed, and as Journey dragged her out of the house, that burned too.

Journey had clutched Isi's face between her hands, crying stop, stop, stop, and Isi had passed out on the lawn. Journey had stood up, staring up at the house as the top floor collapsed. Isi's father had been in there. Without thinking, she had roused Isi enough to where she could drag her to her car, and taken her away from what had happened. They had never looked back, into to that place or to the people they had loved as children, only to each other, and what they had witnessed, because Journey knew Isi would always need her, to help take care of her.

Journey's hands slipped from Isi's body, and her head hit a rock.

COMING UP NEXT:

\- So. Much. Feelings.

\- Also, we finally get to Middle Earth.


	2. Ch2: In Which Everyone Freaks Out

DISCLAIMER: Nothing of Tolkien’s is mine. *whispers into the eternity of space* Nothing.  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You know what feels like kittens exploding out of your head? Getting reviews. Thanks, guys. :)  
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m sorry, but if you were right, I’d agree with you.” -Robin Williams

ISI  
There was noise, light, the smell of rich earth in her face, and it wasn’t wrong...just different. In the second it took for Isi’s eyes to open, though, she changed her mind. Lying next to her was Journey, and Isi had never seen so much blood on a person's face. She scrambled to her knees.

“Journey?” she choked out, pulling her scarf off her own neck and pressing its linen onto the gash on her friend's forehead. She made herself breath. Breath. Just like you always do, just like when you are running, just like when you are meditating, just like...just like when you need to get control back when the fire gets hot. 

Or, Isi thought as her memories rushed back to her... when you wake up on someone else’s bathroom floor at a party. But she and Journey had left. What had happened then?

Isi heard footsteps. She stood, tentatively looking around. Where were they? A clearing? Was that… a river! Yes! A few yards away, a ravine cut away into a shallow, rocky river. Isi tried to think...these trees were not the trees she had come to know in Connecticut. Crunch, crunch...the noise stopped. Isi heard a laugh.

“Well, well...who’d have thought?” Isi whirled around to see a scruffy, lanky man in a dark...well, a cloak (What the hell? Isi couldn’t help but think) staring at her menacingly from the treeline. Something was off about him, about his stance. The man glanced at Journey, and his sneer widened. He was moving slowly towards Isi, like a cat approaches a bird. She moved backwards, hearing her own feet dislodging rocks as she approached the cliff. 

“Tracking a wizard, only to come across a different prize along the way? What luck! Come on, girl,” the man growled. “Say, if you have any money, I might let you and your friend go with your lives, hm?” 

“We...we don’t have anything, ok? Just leave us alone.” Isi tried to sound less freaked out than she felt.

“You have a strange accent, girlie. Awful far from home? Where are you from, the south?”

“I’m from Connecticut.” Isi frowned.

“Haven’t heard of it... You are in Eriador now, girl! That’s the Ruinen you are looking at,” the man grinned. There was a long pause. “The river Loudwater, girl.”

“Stop calling me that,” Isi whispered, coming dangerously close to the edge. 

“I’ll call you whatever I please, if I do not kill you first!” the man snarled at her, hand brushing back his clothes to reveal a long knife hanging from his belt.

Isi looked over the precipice, and below...there were people! Isi glanced back to the man, and as they locked eyes, she could see the recognition flickering in his face. Isi opened her mouth to scream. 

His hands were around her neck. “Don’t you dare, you witch.” he breathed, dragging her away from the ledge as she kicked at him. “You will not take this quarry away from me. The White Wizard has promised me more riches than you can probably imagine.” 

Isi grabbed at the man’s wrists, croaking out, “What?”

Hearing the panic in her voice, the man assumed incorrectly. “Oh yes! Even your mite of a village has heard of the coming power, I’ll bet,” Isi’s vision got blurry around the edges. The man pushed her into a boulder’s side. “And I...I will have a little piece of it. So you will have to be quiet, should you like to see your…” But Isi didn’t hear him anymore. Her eyes rolled upwards, and through the haze she saw the sun. 

Isi’s whole brain got quiet. She stared at the sun. She felt its heat, and the heat of the stone beneath her. And she knew. It shone just as the doorway of light had, in the moment of perfect clarity that had consumed her that night on the side of the road. The words echoed in her mind. White Wizard, Eriador… And the letter from her mother, the one that Journey thought she didn't know about. Middle Earth! And suddenly, for once in her life...Isi didn;t feel crazy. Her mother’s letter seemed less insane. Isi felt where she was, she could feel the energy radiating up from the earth...And she felt in control.

It was BETTER than breathing! Easily, she called the fire to her fingers, leaching the body heat from the man. He gasped at the sudden cold, but Isi turned it back on him, searing into his wrists. He let go, giving a shout, and she swung out with her legs, kicking him back onto the rocky ground. The sound of his head hitting the rocks was sickening, but he still stumbled back to his feet. He actually laughed, though blood poured down his face. “I am going to kill you, girl. Leave you…” he coughed, stumbling towards her. “Leave you to rot with your friend here, no matter what black sorcery you possess. Though who knows? You’re friend is awful pretty. Maybe I’ll keep her neck in one piece…”

Isi bared her teeth at the bandit, and moved for him. He slashed his knife at her sloppily, but her fist met the side of his head quicker. No one….no one talks about Journey like that. Isi knew that he would carry her handprints as scars as long as he had arms. Though that might not be as long as the man thought, Isi couldn’t help but sneer at the highwayman’s body. She could kill him, she thought as he crumpled to the rocks. She should. She should burn him to a pile of ash. She should-

Isi spasmed where she stood. What the hell? This wasn’t her, this was… this was the fire. Adrenaline ripped through her body, and she felt, once more, like the heat was trying to escape. She pushed it down, closed her eyes, trying to pull it together. This was why she didn’t use the fucking FIRE.

She had to breath...breath...and, as well, grasp what she had just figured out. What that piece-of-garbage man had said...was it true? Could it be? A cracking twig form behind her sent her swinging around, only to have her fist stopped...by a wooden staff. A staff connected to a very old, very Ian-Mckellen-esque man in grey. Looking past his grim smile, Isi saw the others: two men looking wary, dirty, and suspicious, four child-like figures with curly hair hanging around their ears, and one hairy, hairy dwarf. It was fucking. Lord. Of. The. Rings. Fucking GANDALF?! And everyone was wearing the what-in-god’s-name-is- happening- here face...except for, in the back, the tall blond man in green. Though she shouldn’t say man. Elf. Elfelfelfhobbitdwarfgandalfeveryoneelf.

“My lady?” Gandalf grumbled.

“Sir, if you excuse me, I think I need to sit down.”  
…  
Hyperventilation was not something Isi had ever done before, but she was considering it now. Even this much mental cursing was not her style. They were asking her, was she alright, my lady please, what happened, were you following us, who are you...She could not respond. This was incredible. I mean, Isi thought, she’d always loved these books, but… God. She half-registered Gandalf (Isi smiled to herself. Gandalf. Haha. He frowned back.) kneeling in front of her. 

The man with the bronze hair grimaced, “Perhaps she is a spy.”

“Let us see, let us see, as she seems quite incapable of speech,” Gandalf adjusted his sleeves, closed his eyes, and reached a hand towards her forehead, mumbling. His thumb touched between her eyebrows, and she couldn't help but gasp. Her eyes flew wide.   
It was like her whole life passed before her eyes. Her childhood, the fire, her poor, poor father, the military, Brooklyn, the party, the doorway of light, the thing that had just happened, and suddenly it was back to the beginning again, and for a moment...Isi saw her mother’s face. 

With a jolt, Gandalf retracted his hand, and Isi, feeling to her limbs restored, scrambled to her feet. “I apologize,” Gandalf straightened up as Isi backed up towards where her friend lay. She glanced over her shoulder. Journey was still unmoving.

“Your mind, my lady, was far less...mmh, malleable than I anticipated. Less than what I normally receive from a mortal man. I did not mean to...delve so far.” He bowed a little.

Isi drew in a breath, just like always, just like always, and nodded. “It’s alright.”

They stared at each other. 

“See?” the bearded fellow grumbled. Gimli. Gimli oh my god. “She is not human. A spy!”  
“Now, I did not say that…” Gandalf replied.

“I am Underhill,” one of the...the hobbits… said. He had dark hair, and a wary look in his eyes. “Who are-”

“Now, Frodo, do not lie to this woman.” Gandalf said, beginning to smile. The group immediately turned their gaze to him. 

“Old man, you know not what you say, after such challenging travel, I’m sure,” said the tall man under the hood.

“You will all stop this,” Gandalf chuckled. “This woman is no spy of Sauron. She is, in fact, the opposite. Something...something quite remarkable.” He grinned. “She has come to help us.”

“I have?” Isi blurted out.

One of the hobbits emerged from behind Gandalf’s cloak, tugging on it. “Thought this was supposed to be a secret mission?” 

“It is, young Meriadoc. And believe me, this young lady is very much a part of it.”

“First of all Merry, it’s not a mission it’s a quest. SECONDLY of all: that is no way to treat a lady, talking about her like she’s not there!” Another hobbit, looking much like the one next to him, sprung towards Isi, and bowed. 

“Peregrin Took! Or Pippin, if you like,” he grinned at her.

Isi could not help smiling back. “I know,” There was silence. Isi straightened up a bit. “You are from the Shire, along with you, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and you Samwise Gamgee, and you,” Isi pointed at Frodo. “Frodo Baggins.” She reached up to touch her forehead. “I don’t believe this! And you, Gimli! Aragorn, and Boromir, sons of Gondor!” 

Boromir scowled. “What?”

“And you...Legolas Greenleaf.” Isi stepped away as she locked eyes with the elf.

“Who are you?” demanded Boromir, hand on his sword’s hilt.

Isi stepped back, “I’m… Isi, Isi Collins. I’m...not from here.”

Gandalf actually laughed. “I should say not! And gentlemen, I believe we should forestall this interrogation. This woman’s friend is not well.”

Isi breathed a sigh of relief. “Will you help me?” she hurried back to where Journey was lying. “We were attacked, and I had no time to treat this…”

Sam, who had been silent until now, knelt beside her. “I can see that…You beat that bandit like that, eh?” Isi nodded, Sam looked over his shoulder at the unconscious tracker a bit aways. He sighed and looked back towards Journey. He poured some water onto the scarf, and dabbed it again onto the cut. “We can fix her up, miss. Don’t you worry.”

Isi, in a small voice, breathed. “Thank you, Sam.” 

“We will camp here tonight, for we start through the mountains tomorrow. You should all get some rest.” Gandalf nodded to Aragorn, who turned to the others. He mumbled something, and Gimli, Merry, Pippin, and Frodo disappeared into the edge of the woods with him. The wizard stepped towards the man’s unconscious body. “This man attacked you?”

“Yes...but he was following you.” Isi’s hands faltered. This was craziness. She looked to Gandalf, and he mused in silence. “I just…” The elf moved for what seemed like the first time, moving towards the tracker’s body, who moaned. Legolas crouched, and tentatively took the man’s hand. He looked at the burns, the red reflections of Isi’s fingers. She didn’t know whether or not to be afraid. 

“My lady…” Legolas stood, and approached where Isi and Sam lay kneeling. Gandalf frowned at him, but he persisted. “What is your full name?”

“Sorry?” Isi frowned.

“Is your name shortened from what you were born with? For example, we call Peregrin ‘Pippin,’ which is not-”

“I know what you mean, and...yes. My given name is Isithrang.”

Legolas stared her down. “Are you aware that that is an elvish name, my lady?”

Isi stopped breathing. “I...no.”

Gandalf tutted under his hat, and wove his staff above the unconscious tracker’s face whispering over him. When the man awoke, he would hurt, and remember nothing about himself.

COMING UP NEXT:  
Wakey wakey, Journey.   
Also, Gandalf being helpful  
And Legolas, being cheesy  
And Boromir. Being an ass. We love him though!


	3. Ch3: In Which Everyone Eats Breakfast (IKR???) Exciting!

DISCLAIMER: Middle Earth isn’t mine, I just live in it. 

AUTHOR’S NOTES: Thank you for reading. You’re the best. If you were the last person on earth, the zombies still wouldn’t eat you, purely out of respect. Sorry if my posting has been a tad erratic but school has been crazy lately. You can probably count on that forever, now that I mention it. :)

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.” -Unknown

 

JOURNEY

Journey tried to roll over. She then decided that was a bad move. She settled for opening her eyes a bit, instead. 

This dirt was weird. I mean, Journey thought, it was nice dirt. She would give it that. Very...dirt-like. Smelled just like dirt should. It occurred to Journey that she was pretty tired. Maybe a nap would be nice. But then her eyebrow started to itch, so she sloooowly moved her hand the few inches to her face. But there was something there! A bandage. How annoying, Journey thought. How did that get there?

“Look, I realize that. However-” a voice reached her ears. Journey tentatively scooched her head, just a bit. A group figures sat around a fire. Ten.

“Gandalf, if you are so insistent about this, tell us why exactly she is so important.” a deep voice, coming from a tall man. 

There was a very long pause. 

“Isithrang knows of the future, and-” the old man began.

“It’s just Isi, and no I do not. I just...I know what must happen, if you are to succeed.” Isi. Isi! She was here! Journey smiled. Good, good good. 

“How would you know this?” the same grumpy man asked. Bully.

“There is...I’m from a different...” There was another pause. “The future! I’m FROM the future.”

“The future?” Pippin asked.

“Yes, and your journey is in our history books,” Isi nodded. She coughed, “Though, uh, I still hold I don’t know what is going to happen. Just what-

“Should happen?” Gandalf helpfully added.

“Yeah. What needs to happen if the...future I come from will ever come to be.” Wow. Journey sighed. This was a nice campfire story.

“Even if this is true, how did you arrive here? Why?” A red beard with a small man attached to it grunted.

“I don’t know!” Isi sounded adamant.

“To help guide us, then,” the old man supplied. “But...the future? Are you quite sure?”

“Yes!” Isi blurted out. “Yes…”

“Then I may have been wrong about your other powers,” the man mused.

“And what powers are these? I still have yet to see them...” the tall grumpy man asked.

Isi stood, arms crossed. “I’m sorry, but I’ve told you. I do not use those things recreationally.”

“This is hardly recreation!” the man raised his voice. 

“Boromir! Please...” another man piped up. He flicked his dark hair away from his eyes. Isi whispered a brusque apology, and a goodnight, and moved purposefully towards Journey, plopping down onto the earth besides her. Journey smiled.

The group around the fire dispersed, getting to sleep too. Through Journey’s closing eyes, she saw the old man smoking a pipe, and another man beside him still. She hadn’t noticed him before, but he was actually, like, REALLY beautiful. Wow! They were talking quietly. Isi’s back pressed against Journey’s comfortingly, though, so Journey decided: she would sleep.

 

ISI

Isi woke up, feeling slightly less horrible than she had felt going to bed. She decided to view this as a good sign. All her clothes were a bit damp, but the chill felt good to her. Isi glanced down at Journey. Then again, she didn’t really get cold, what with the whole fire-in-my-blood deal, and Isi frowned as she nudged Journey. She had a horrible moment where she thought her friend might not wake up, maybe she shouldn’t have let her sleep for so long, with her head injury, maybe…

But Journey’s eyes fluttered, and she hiccuped. Isi breathed. “You cold, J?” she whispered. 

“Mm mh,” Journey grumbled a no, but Isi noted that someone had left a thick, grey blanket folded near their feet, and she pulled it over Journey anyway. When her friend began to sleep again, Isi stood, stretching. The grass was bright, the air was crisp, and visible beams of sunshine shone over dark silhouettes of the trees. 

Isi turned to see Sam, Aragorn, and Sam sitting around the remains of the fire, coaxing a flame back into the branches. Isi smelled something cooking. She approached the group.

“Good morning,” she tried to smile.

“Good morning, my lady.” It was Aragorn, his smoky voice sharp, but friendly. “We will be setting out once the sun leaves the horizon…” he turned back to poking whatever it was lay in the coals, sizzling. Isi looked towards the east, and figured the sun would be over the mountains in about half an hour. 

“Would you like some breakfast?” Sam asked her. Isi nodded, thanking him as he cupped a small tin in his palm, spooning into it what looked like hash. He carefully handed it to her. “It is good, that you came when you did. Thats the last bit of ham!”

“Oh, I’m sorry-” Isi started. Sam held his hand up to stop her.

“Oh no, my lady, I didn’t mean that,” he smiled. “I mean that it would have spoiled if we’d kept it longer anyhow, and since we start south today, I thought we would make a feast of breakfast,” Sam looked at Aragorn and Legolas, who smiled in consent. “Anyhow, I was trying to say that I’m glad you could join us. Those are some nice, roasted daylily tubers in there, too.”

Isi grinned, lifting the scramble to her lips with her fingers. It felt good, to eat something warm. It seemed like ages since she had been in her kitchen in Connecticut. “Thank you, Mr. Gamgee.”

“Oh, just Sam, my lady. My friends call me Sam, and if you and your companion will be joining us…” he trailed off. “Well, let us say that we could use all the friends we can get, at the moment.” 

Already, Isi liked him, and she knew Journey would love him even more. “Alright, but only if you don’t call me ‘my lady.’ My friends call me Isi,” she stood. 

Sam thought about it. “Miss Isi? It has a nice ring to it, I suppose.” At this Isi actually laughed. 

“I should get Journey up,” Isi stood. As turned to go, she heard a quiet voice. 

“Wait,” Legolas stood. Isi looked at him, a little surprised. He was retrieving a small bottle from the inside of his cloak. He shook it, and handed it to Isi. “Ask your friend to drink this. It will keep the earth from spinning so greatly.” 

Isi looked down at it. “Oh…” she thought about his name. “Thank you, Prince.” 

He walked with her towards Journey’s sleeping form. He couldn’t have been very much taller than she, but Legolas seemed so poised...She could feel the heat coming off his body as he walked besides her. Isi sighed. Well, she was always aware of ALL heat, coming from ANYTHING... but his seemed like it was part of his personality: calm, as opposed to the grasping fingers of heat that would come off a person when she sparred with them.

“...You may call me, too, whatever makes you feel comfortable,” he spoke, softly. Isi laughed a bit, nodding her thank you. How...nice? Maybe? Ugh. This was surreal. They reached Journey, and Isi crouched down, gently shaking her.

“Hey you…” Isi urged. “Time to wake up.” Journey rolled around a bit, eyes fluttering. Isi looked at Legolas, who was crouching besides her, and tutted at him. “So, she might be a little...more... frank than what you are accustomed to.”

“I’m sure it won’t be much of a problem,” Legolas replied.

Isi pressed the bottle of whatever-it-was into her friend’s hand. “Drink this, and then come eat. We have a lot of walking ahead of us. The...the Fellowship cannot risk moving close enough to a village to deliver us safely anywhere, so we are coming with them for a while,” Isi leaned over, whispering. “We have come back in time, from the future, okay? Don’t freak out.”

Legolas’s face twitched as Journey rolled up onto her elbows. In amusement, maybe. Or maybe he was absorbing how beautiful Journey really was. She breathed in sharply. “Isi we are in Middle Earth, right?”

“Yup.”

“Like the real deal?” Journey wiped her palm across her face. 

“Yup.”

Journey flopped back onto her side, eyeing Legolas. “Okay, okay, okay...Well, shit.”

 

COMING UP NEXT:   
Walking  
Walking  
Walking  
Snaaaakkkeesss  
Walking


	4. Ch 4: I lied about the bats. Sorry. They'll show up next time though, I PROMISE.

DISCLAIMER: Once upon a time, there was a human being, much like you and me, who write a series of fabulous books. I came along, and borrowed his universe for a while. That is all.  
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Questions? Comments? Quote Of The Day submissions? Feelings that you need to voice over the endless span of the internet? That is what we have a review system for.  
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I never run with scissors...Those last two words were unnecessary.” -Bill Murray (apparently, I don’t know for sure)

ISI

By the time everyone was actually on the move, Journey had already explained to the hobbits the concept of college, cars, and skinny jeans. 

“And it’s made out of this plant called soybean, ok? It’s like a little squishy cake of...of cheese! Light cheese, that’s really good for you, and doesn’t take like anything,” she finished.

“Tofu does not sound very good, my lady.” Pippin frowned. 

“Yes, I know it doesn’t sound good, but-”

Isi reached up, pushing back the hair that fell in her face. She walked near the back of the group as they moved out of the woods. Journey had melted into the Fellowship easily, and in the span of a few hours, she had everyone in as much love with her as people back in Connecticut had been. She smiled, and got them talking, getting Isi to contribute a bit here and there. Isi was glad. It gave her time to think.

“Are you alright?” a voice came from besides her. “You frown.”

“I am actually...I am actually quite well. Thank you.” Isi sighed. She looked to see Legolas. Friicckkiinn elf. This was so weird. She was worried, yes...but she thought she knew what she was here for, right? Maybe. But...even if she did, she didn’t know why, or how. That was how she had been feeling most of her life, though…

“Is it that you miss your home, perhaps?” he queried.

At this, Isi laughed. “I told you, I'm fine, and besides, my Lord Greenleaf, I do not have one of those.” There was no response. “Well, whatever that crazy thing goes, I go too, if that's what you are wondering.” Isi waved a hand at Journey. She glanced at her elvish companion, and saw his eyes focused on a point in the distance. “Are you alright?”

“I am...Forgive me. I was simply thinking.” He pursed his lips a little. 

“Did it hurt?” She chuckled. Legolas looked back at her blankly. “Uh, it...was a joke.”  
“Oh. I see,” Legolas pondered this for a moment, then suddenly smirked. He eyed her. “You were...making fun of me?” he asked.

“Yes.” Isi couldn’t help but feel a little amused. Look at her. Bonding.

Legolas nodded, as if proud that he had figured this out. Wow. He proceeded to reach inside his cloak, and retrieve a...a wire? “For you,” he made to hand it to Isi. “You have been brushing back your hair all morning.”

Isi actually smiled, and wound her hair back in a ponytail. “Thank you, sir. Is there anything you don’t have in that cloak of yours.”

“No, it is elvish after all.” he smiled. After a moment he added, “That was a joke, as well.”

“Well done!” Isi rolled her eyes, but her smile remained. There was a moment of quiet. Journey had stopped in her path, waiting for Isi. 

“It’s frickin hot in this hoodie, Isi…” she whispered to Isi, loudly.

“I know it is, but I told you: with that shirt you have on underneath, you may as well be naked, to these men.” Isi laughed. Journey began to protest. “See?” Isi told her. “I told you you would regret that tank top.” Journey scampered away, and Isi sighed.

Legolas mused, “In actuality, I had been thinking about you, just now,” he began. Isi looked at him questioningly. “Why do you speak of your world so dismissively?”

Isi looked at him. “Really?”

Legolas blinked. “Is it so strange a question?”

“No, I suppose not,” she replied. He continued to look at her expectantly. Isi kicked a rock out of their path. “Ok...Have you ever heard the phrase ‘home is where the heart is?’” she asked. Legolas shook his head. 

“Well, it means…” Isi trailed off.

“It means that you belong with the people you love, no matter what physical boundaries stand between you.” A voice came from behind. Isi looked over her shoulder, surprised. It was Aragorn. No one spoke for a moment, and there was only the sound of their footsteps. Isi realized, Aragorn probably understood the phrase very well. 

“Yes, that’s it.” she murmured.  
Aragorn nodded, and surged forward towards the front of the group. 

“He has been in an anguish much like what he describes, my friend Estel. He has an elvish love…” Legolas looked forlorn.

“I know he does,” Isi added quietly. She had grown to love these men as characters, but now that she had met them...it hurt her, too. “I hope to meet his Arwen someday.” 

“Does he live to see her again?” Legolas whispered.

Isi frowned. “Gandalf says I should not tell you of the future, should it change your actions...but yes. If you succeed, he will see her again. What happens to them afterwards, though...I do not know.”

Legolas asked, “So when you say your ‘home is where the heart is,’ is that to say you have no such love in your own world, no family? No husband?”

“My family is Journey,” Isi’s father’s face flashed before her eyes. She pushed the image away. Now was not the time. She coughed. “As for a husband, yes. I have tons of those.”

Legolas actually stopped walking, “Is that...not irregular, where you come from?”

Isi blew out between her teeth, “No, My Lord.”

Legolas looked confused, then he seemed to register, “That...that was a joke, as well?”

“Yes, yes it was.” Isi smiled.

“I see.” was the only response.  
…

They approached a high outcropping of stones, where Gandalf suggested they all rest. The mountains narrowed into a valley, once again wooded. Everyone sat on the stones, setting down their burdens. The scene played out, with Boromir teaching the hobbits how to sword fight. Isi couldn’t help but smile. 

Boromir was really a nice guy, no matter what he would eventually do, Isi thought. She frowned. She couldn't help it. Now, everytime she saw him, she saw him dead. She wondered if she could stop it...but then, should she? Was it necessary to the story? Not a story, even, it was these people’s lives. And if J.R.R Tolkien was still in her world, how had he known what was going to happen to these people? It hadn’t happened yet! Isi frowned as the hobbits jumped on Boromir, and they laughed. Maybe he didn’t have to die. It was an emotional epiphany, sure, but…but that man tracking them! He hadn’t been in Tolkien’s book either! And neither had she. Maybe, maybe, maybe...

Isi leaned back to sit on a rock, and jumped. Between her feet, a snake's head popped out from under the boulder. She sighed. “Just go away," she told it.

Gandalf was sitting a few feet away, and followed her gaze to the reptile. He grunted. “Fear not, my lady, and do not move.”

Aragorn drew his sword casually, “I will get it for you,” Legolas stood too, watching.

“Oh, geez, no! You don’t have to do that,” Isi shook her head.

Gimli stomped over from where he had been shaking out his boots. “That serpent has poison in its fangs, my lady. It could kill you, should it bite you!”

“It will not hurt it, if you are unsettled by that,” Gandalf said.

“But it won’t bite me,” Isi smiled. She looked down at the snake. “Here, see?” She reached down for it. About everyone in the group jumped out of their skins. 

“Miss Isi! Don’t do that!” Sam had been sitting a few feet away, with Frodo. Merry, Pippin, Boromir, and Journey (who had joined them in a brief fencing tutorial) all stopped at his shout, and looked over.

Isi didn’t listen. She reached out, feeling the heat radiating off the reptile. She tentatively pulled some away from the thing, drawing it into her fingers. The snake stopped moving, its instincts being to conserve its strength, get warm. Isi gently picked up the thing. She eyed her audience, who were frozen. Carefully, she draped the snake around her neck. Journey began to laugh at everyone else’s wide eyes. Isi felt the snake adjusting itself, absorbing her body heat. To it, she may have been a friendly rock, and it ignored its previous aggression in favor of getting warm. Isi smiled.

“Are you a witch?” Boromir asked, sounding about six years old. 

“Not in the traditional sense, I guess…” Isi replied, as she settled back onto the rock. 

“Oh dear, ” Sam squeaked.

“You wanna touch him?” Isi couldn’t help but grin. 

“Ahhh...no thank you, Miss Isi.” Sam backed away.

“May I?” Frodo asked, he had been quietly approaching. Isi realized that this might have been the first time that day he had spoken. She nodded, and Frodo reached up to feel the tail of the reptile, as it hung over her shoulder.  
Legolas twitched in his seat. Isi looked at him, and was taken aback by his intense gaze. He stood with a jerk, and almost growled. “How did you do that?”

Isi told herself, mentally, to chillax a little. “I took away some of his body heat... so he would view me as someone warming him as opposed to a snack,” Isi bristled. She felt as if she was under scrutiny. 

Legolas stepped towards her. He yanked his sleeve up, holding his arm out to her. “Show me,” he said.

“I...no. I told you i don’t do it unless I have to. I don’t...I don’t do it recreationally.” Isi carefully slid the snake from her neck, letting it slither under a rock. Legolas was still looking at her.  
“Was what you just did to that animal not recreational?” he asked.

“No! No, because you all were about to kill it,” she barked. He looked at her blankly for a moment, before yanking down his sleeve.

“Of course, of course…” he whispered. All eyes were on him. “I apologize.”

Legolas frowned, and Isi frowned, and yet neither of them looked away. Because as Isi looked into his eyes, she saw that he was sorry, yes...but the more she looked...the more beautiful Isi realized he was. She mentally pinched herself, and stiffly bowed to him.

“Fine, my lord.” 

COMING UP NEXT:  
\- the bats, I swear it  
\- Journey, learning how to sword fight  
\- an explanation on music “of the future”  
\- more unbalanced perspective changes (sorry, but I just swap points of view whenever it carries the story better)


	5. Ch 5: In Which There Is Attitude From Both Girls, Cuz We Love That

DISCLAIMER: To be in Middle Earth, or not to be...that is the question. Whether it is nobler to create your own universe, or to borrow someone else's, I know not.  
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Sorry guys, finals are starting. This one is a shorty, but I’ll try to write a few more little chapters like it soon, to make up for my sucky schedule. Xoxo!  
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I was out on a date recently and the guy took me horseback riding. That was kind of fun, until we ran out of quarters.” -Susie Loucks

JOURNEY

Laughing, Journey brushed the dust off her jeans. The “fellowship” (Journey loved these guys, OH MY GOAT, but she wished she had at least watched the movies while back on earth-earth) were recovering from Isi’s snake trick, but Journey had seen it before. Isi didn’t love all animals, but she didn’t think people “had as much dominion over other creatures as we think. It’s not the spider’s fault humans built their oversized houses on their nests,” as Isi had explained to her ethics teacher back in eighth grade. Journey turned back to Boromir.

“Come on, won’t you show me that twirly thing you did with Pip?” she reached for one of the small swords the hobbits had dropped as they ran to “save Isi from the snake.” Now, Merry and Pippin had joined Sam and Frodo, who had gone back to cooking their funny sausages. 

Boromir turned back to Journet, but glanced back at Isi. “She is...strange, your companion. Is she always this guarded?”

Journey experimentally swung her little weapon, trying to emulate that cool loop move. She looked up at Boromir, feigning shock. “Oh, Boromir! She is our companion…” she laughed, swapping sword arms. Boromir’s face twitched a little, confused, but he smiled at her. “What?” she asked.

“Generally…Only family, and my, uh, close peers call on me so...casually, but-”

“Oooh, I am so sorry!” Journey remembered her medieval manners. “Oh, Prince Boromir of the White Castle Condor! Would’st thou deign to enlighten me on proper dueling technique!” Journey bowed to him, in an exaggerated salute. She grinned. 

He actually laughed. “You know, I believe you are stranger than your friend,” Journey tried to scowl at him. “And, for your, em, convenience, my lady: I am the heir to the stewardship of the White City of Gondor,” he squared himself with her. “Now, do not straighten your elbow.”

As Journey experimented with some jabs and parries, she mused “Why ‘my lady,’ sheesh. You’re a prince, practically, but I am literally a highschool drop out from New York.”

Boromir seemed a bit uncomfortable. “‘My lord’ and ‘my lady’ are generally what you use to address someone who you don’t know very well, or someone who is not your peer.”

“Whaaat, I thought we were totally friends, though,” Journey laughed. “So that’s not it. It must be that I am not your peer. Why is that?”

Boromir’s discomfort faded from his face, and he took the tone that one takes with small kids. “Well, you are a woman.”

Journey stepped back, scoffing. She kept looking at him, seeing that he was serious. She scooped up a hand of pebbles, throwing them at him in a scattered handful. “Fuck no! It’s your own fault, Boromir. Now I have to call you that. It’s nothing to be alarmed about, you simply triggered my crush-the-patriarchy senses.” She put her hands on her hips. “And you will call me by my name, kay? As an expression of equality.” She put her hand to her face, brushing away her fake tears. 

“You know…” Boromir mused. “Very well.” He had to sit down, he was laughing so hard. 

Journey stuck her tongue out at him. Sitting as well, she was going to shake some sand from her tennis shoe when she saw Lego-Boy jumping onto the boulder behind Boromir. He was pretty, for sure, but Journey got the sense that this guy had a serious stick up his butt.

“Look! On the horizon!” he pointed.

“Tis but a cloud,” Gimli replied.

“The sky is clear, and this moves against the wind…” Gandalf stood, musing. There was a moment of silence, and something registered on Isi’s face as Journey glanced at her.  
“Crebain! From Dunland! Hide!” Isi reacted before almost anyone else, only she ran towards Journey. Before Journey knew it, she had been shoved to the ground, pushed under the boulder she had been sitting on. WIth not enough space for the two of them, Isi turned away to find another spot. Journey wondered if the bird flock had spotted her yet.

“Isithrang!” An arm reached out from under a shelf of rock. Isi, pulled to the ground, caught herself on her palms, rolling under the shelter. There was a moment of relative quiet, with only the sound of breathing. Journey wondered what was up with those birds. She wondered if they were gone. She wondered whether their was a snake under this rock, too. Journey sighed. 

ISI  
Something registered, through the adrenaline of keeping Journey out of trouble, that Legolas had called Isi by her actual name. Literally no one, ever, had called her that except for the odd substitute teacher back in grade school. Now, her was looking out from their hiding spot. “Good, I do not believe they saw you.”

Isi whispered, “Saw me. I was fine, you know.” 

“Of course, my lady,” he replied, exasperated.

“Shut up,” she whispered. “I’m not a child. And don’t call me that.”

“And I suppose you could have just fried an entire nest of Crebain from the sky,” Legolas actually snorted.

Isi froze. She closed her eyes. She was in control. Okay? She had trained herself to be in control. The fire was a burden, but she had learned to shoulder it. If she could do that, she would not let a little...asshole elf bug her. She had faced bigger challenges. “You don’t know anything about it, ok?” she breathed, and she was not angry anymore.

Legolas breathed out, too. He looked like he was thinking. “I...I apologize.”

 

“Yup. Keep doin that today, don’t cha?” Isi went to roll out from under the rock shelf.  
“Wait,” he grabbed her shoulder, lightly. “Not yet, my lady.” 

“Look pal, you already called me by my freakin real name. Everyone else has already done the whole ‘proper-address’ thing today, so let’s just get it out of the way. My name is Isi,” she decided to go ahead and rant. “ And I know you are being polite, but you guys are already the most condescending people I’ve ever spent time with, and I don’t need you tip toeing around me. It makes me feel crazier than I already am.”

Legolas breathed. “That is...if that is what you prefer.” Isi looked at him, and he looked away under the severity of her gaze. “What?” she snapped.

“Nothing, it’s just...you remind me rather greatly of...my mother.” 

Isi was quiet.

She started laughing, genuinely. 

“Ok, ok, that’s fair, that’s fair,” she shook her head. He looked less uncomfortable. “My prince, I am getting out from under this goddam rock now. Good talk,” she grunted as she dragged herself out. 

“The passage south is being watched!” called Gandalf, as isi wiped the dirt from her clothes. “We must take another road,” 

“We should ride through Rohan,” Boromir appeared from another boulder.

“That would take us too close to Isengard,” Aragorn emerged as well, kicking out the coals left from the hobbits’ fire.

“Gandalf,” Gimli’s gruff voice sounded. “We could pass through the mines of Moria! My cousin Balin would give us a warm welcome,” he grinned through his beard.

“No,” Gandalf replied. He looked Isi’s way. “We will go through the Pass of Caradhras.” He sounded sure, but the small nod from Isi set his jaw. “North!” he called. “Over the mountain.”

Isi knew what that meant. She glanced at Journey, sending up a silent prayer to whatever was in control of this insane ordeal, that at least combat boots were still "in style," and Journey had listened when Isi had asked her to buy some practical ones. She closed her eyes and breathed a nice, long yoga breath. The group started off again, and though Isi was a little pissy still, Journey and the hobbit got right back to talking, and Isi managed to relax. A little normalcy, though it all. 

COMING UP NEXT  
-snow  
-brrrrrr  
\- Journey will finally be grateful for her sweater  
\- Isi will finally show us some fire power


	6. Ch 6: In Which Everyone Gets Cold!

DISCLAIMER: This is the best mashup ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-8Rd9QBlJI  
It’s not mine. Guess what else isn’t mine? Middle Earth.  
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’ve got a FEVER. And the only prescription is MORE BAD DIALOGUE! *dingdingdingding*  
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “All the ancient kings came up to my door, they said ‘You wanna be an ancient king too?’ I said ‘Oh yes very much! But I think my timing’s wrong.’ They said ‘Time is relative, or did you misread Einstein?’ I said ‘Do you really mean it?’ They said ‘What do ya think we come here for, our goddam health or something?’” -Dan Bern, excerpt from “Jerusalem”

 

JOURNEY

The air smelled different, up here, Journey thought. You could see for miles from these mountains, but there were no buildings or anything. It was so weird here, the days were brighter somehow, like the sunlight was bouncing of the air, it was so clear. And the nights were darker than in Connecticut. And, up here in the snow, it was so clean. Journey had never seen snow SO CLEAN AHG! She’d be talking about it, except that this hike was really impossible, and she was already lagging in the back. Isi was besides her. The winds were picking up, and Journey couldn’t see her breath anymore. That had to be some new level of cold. Isi, reading Journey’s mind as she did, peeled off her over-sweater-thingie and handed it to Journey. As Isi trudged on, Journey felt some deja-vu, with Isi’s hair and her sweater-ness and everything uggghhh. Was it really only, like, five days ago? Ahead, Frodo stumbled, rolling a bit. 

“Frodo!” Aragorn caught him, helping him brush off a bit. Poor little guy. Frodo had told her that the ring he was carrying (the whole point of the mission was to chuck it into a MOUNTAIN how cray is that. Didn’t they have giant eagles in these movies? Why not just fly over the volcano and plink. Easy.) As soon as Frodo was standing, sure enough, his hands went to his throat. He gave a small cry of panic. Farther ahead though, Boromir lifted it from the snow, before it got lost. Whew!

Everyone stopped walking, allowing Journey to catch up. It was weird, though, how quiet everyone got? Boromir was looking at the ring in his hand, his eyes glazed over. Aragorn spoke first, wary. “Boromir,” he said.

Boromir was almost whispering, still sort of entranced. Journey frowned. “It is a strange thing that we should suffer so much fear and doubt...over so small a thing,” he sighed. “Such a little thing…”

Journey was about to contribute a “Dude, I know” when Aragorn spoke up. 

“Boromir!” he shouted, and Boromir flinched, as if snapped back into reality. He looked to Frodo. Aragorn grumbled “Give the ring to Frodo…” 

There was a moment of tense silence. Isi touched Journey’s elbow, eyeing her. She knew to keep quiet. Boromir kicked through the snow, down to where Frodo stood with them. He held it out to him, tentatively, and Frod snatched it away.

“As you wish” Boromir smiled. “I care not…” he tried to laugh off the discomfort. He looked at Aragorn for a moment. Ruffling Frodo’s hair, he turned away and moved with a new sense of urgency. By the time everyone had started the trek once more, Journey had started to grill Isi.

“Brrrr the snow isn’t the only cold thing up here. Okkkaay, what is up with that ring?” she whispered.

“You really don’t know about any of this?” Isi asked in reply.

“Well, no. I mean, I remember this movie as ‘the two gay guys on the mountain movie.’ I know we have to destroy the ring, cuz its a weapon…” Journey frowned.

“It’s more than that…” Isi stopped walking, holding Journey with her while the other moved ahead. She checked to see that the Fellowship was out of earshot. “Alright, J. Lord of the Rings 101: There is a really evil dude called Sauron, who is...he is kind of the ghost-king of Mordor, where we are headed. Its fiery and hellish and creepy.”

“Ooh! With the ogre people everywhere!” journey snapped her finger.

Isi nodded. “Sure. Anyway, the ring? It was made by Sauron. Then, he made all these other rings, and gave them to the other leaders in Middle Earth. While he had the one ring, he could control the people that wore the others.”

“Wait, what? Why would everyone take those rings, then?” Journey was exasperated. “Sheesh!”

“Sauron disguised himself as Annatar, the ‘Lord of Gifts,’” Isi explained, patient.

“Okay. That sounds fake, but okay.” 

“Yah. Anyway, the ring is very powerful, as Sauron poured his whole soul into it, but it can only truly be mastered by him. Its evil, and wants to be back to him, so it corrupts any other person who tries to carry it.” Isi looked up towards Frodo.

“Well what the fuck, then!” Journey cried. “Why is Frodo carrying it? he is just a little guy!”  
“Shh…” Isi whispered. “He volunteered, and the idea is that everyone else on this quest has a reason to be here: wanting to help their people fight against Mordor, okay?” she coughed. “Frodo carried the ring for a while before we started for Mt. Doom, and it was thought that he was a safe choice. No one wanted to risk people like...like Boromir getting corrupted. He is a good man, but just being around the ring is getting to him-”

“This isn’t making sense!” Journey sighed.

“It’s not important right now. Your job is keeping yourself safe, is all.” Isi shoved Journey, picking up their pace to catch up with the rest of the group.

“You’re not making any sense, Isi,” Journey tutted. Isi faltered in her step a bit, and got quiet.  
“I...I know. I’m sorry. A lot on my mind, right now,” she said.

“Babe, tell me about it.”  
…  
It got dark, though it couldn’t have been later than lunchtime. And it was cold. Everyone was close together now, and it was all shuffling through the now. It was up to her belly button, but it was so freezing up here, the snow didn’t even melt as it clung to her. A small blessing not to be wet, Journey figured, but this sucked. 

Annnddd there was pretty boy. Journey squinted at Leggsie as he walked by, on top of the snow (cuz apparently he can just fly wtf.) Her foot got stuck, and she fell deeper into the snow, and he stopped besides her. He bent down, lightly pulling her up. “I’m cool, I’m cool,” she insisted, and he smiled at her. Bastard, his ears weren’t even a little blue. She smiled a bit too, through the frozen-ness that was now the entire universe, but the wind suddenly picked up and it dissipated. She heard rumbling. Leggsie’s face suddenly changed, and he straightened up. He spirited off towards the front of the group, and held a hand up to his ear. Smooth, his voice called back. 

“There is a fell voice on the air!” 

Gandalf was just ahead of her, but a sudden flurry of snow blocked him almost entirely from Journey’s view. His voice reached her, though. “It’s Saruman!” Journey didn’t know what that meant, but she had no time to think about it. A cracking noise came from above them, like thunder. A huge chunk of rock fell from the mountaintop above them, falling past their little snowy ledge. 

Aragorn’s voice was behind her now, and Journey turned to him. He was holding Frodo up, ice clinging to his hair. “He is trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!”

She didn’t like the sound of that.

Another flurry of ice fell on them, and Journey screamed a little. Just like that, Isi was there grabbing at Journey’s numb hands. Gandalf’s voice again, a “No!”

Chanting, Gandalf pulled himself to the lip of the ledge. He shouted into the wind, opening his arms like a bird. “Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!” 

Wizards are idiots, Journey decided. The wind got louder, and blew harder, and Journey couldn’t breath, and then...a flash of light from above. Then lots, and lots, and lots of snow, crashing down on top of her. 

For a moment, there was nothing. Just the quiet.

Journey wiggled a little, trying not to freak out. The snow was mostly powder, but there was so much of it. She took a go at raising her arms, and discovered that she could get her left arm around by twisting it back and forth. Her fingers brushed empty air. Journey snorted a bunch of snow up her nose. Mentally cursing, she scrambled “upwards,” but her legs were going nowhere. A hand grasped hers, from above. 

Before she knew it, her head breached the surface. Journey sneezed. She was still stuck up to her waist in snow, but at least she could breath. She looked to her rescuer, and found Merry, stuck up to his waist as well. He grinned at her, his nose red and lips pale. She swiped at him. “You’re a good sport, Merry.”

By the time they had clambered out, everyone else had, more or less, worked their way out of the snow. The wind, apparently sensing their defeat, had stopped blowing as hard. “We must get off the mountain!” Boromir called. “Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city,” he urged.

“The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard,” Aragorn shook hi head. 

Gimli’s voice came from behind her, “If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Gandalf, let us go through the mines of Moria!”

A shadow passed over Gandalf’s face. “Let the ring-bearer decide…” he declared, solemnly. Frodo looked scared.

“We cannot stay here!” Boromir said. “It will be the death of the hobbits!” And me, Journey thought.

“Frodo?” Gandalf was quiet.

“We will got through the mines,” Frodo was hesitant.

Gandalf, looking defeated, nodded his head. “So be it.” 

 

...

 

Going down the mountain was proving to be harder than it had been going up! The wizard-wind was gone now, Journey guessed, but it was closing on night, and it was getting COLD. A new flurry of snow and wind began, just a product of nature this time but still unpleasant. The snow ahead of them had magically grown deeper, too, because those of her companions unfortunate enough to be in the front suddenly fell in up to their necks. Isi and the men struggled to pull poor Gimli out. Isi grunted, “Screw this.”

Those who could hear her through the wind looked her way. “Gentlemen, you are about to get very offended. Do keep quiet about it, if you please,” With that, she began to pull off her shirt, tugging at the long sleeves. She chucked it at Journey. She yanked off her boots, too, and jeans. Journey happily wrapped the shirt around her neck, knowing where this was headed. The rest of the group didn’t know what to do, and Journey was too tired to care about their sensibilities. Journey trudged over to Isi, unfazed by her sports bra and compression shorts, and fell in behind her as Isi sort of pencil dove into the snow. Almost immediately, the snow around her began to melt. Like a hot knife through butter (haha, Journey mentally patted herself on the back) Isi began to push through the snow. Steam rising in clouds off her body, she almost glowed. Journey grabbed Isi’s clothes, clutching them to her chest too keep them dry, and began to make her way down the now easy path that Isi was plowing for them.

The others seemed to be mildly freaking out behind them, but Journey honestly did not give a shit. It was dark by now. After another twenty minutes of pursuing this course, though, Isi started to...dim. By then, the rest of the Fellowship had fallen into step behind Journey, and she heard the swishing cloak of Mr. Wizard Gandalf behind her. After a few more minutes, Isi stumbled. Journey grew worried, then. She didn’t know just how Isi’s powers worked, but she had started to look ill. She crouched besides her, and Isi sniffed.

She pulled herself up, and murmured. “I’m ok, J. Heat’s gotta come from somewhere, is all…” Isi began to push through the snow again. Journey grabbed her shoulder, once she absorbed this.  
“Isi? What the hell, you're taking all this from you you? That’s not healthy! This is so much…” she shouted. 

“Shush. And I know, okay? That is why we are stopping for the night, at this cave over here.” Isi pointed ahead to a shoulder-width crack in the rock. She made her way towards it, and slipped through. 

Journey stopped, and turned to Gandalf behind her. “She needs a break.”

“We all do, my dear,” he trailed off looking into the cavern. Isi wasn’t glowing anymore, “I do not know if this was a wise choice, expending her energy like this. Did she do this sort of thing often, in your homeland?”

“No, she didn’t,” Journey admitted. “But then again, she trained herself, like, hardcore. She is really strong, even if she doesn’t show it.” Gandalf held her shoulder as the hobbits shuffled into the cave, followed by Gimli and Boromir (who smiled at her.) Aragorn looked to Gandalf for approval, the slipped in after them. “What I mean to say is, she spent years learning how to control and, er, subdue, her powers. She knows her limits,”

Gandalf murmured, “But is she driven to break these limits, if she is as dedicated to her powers control as you say?”

“I can’t answer that, Gandalf,” Journey felt a tap on her shoulder. Leggsie stood there. 

“I thought I might bring our friend her clothes,” he was quiet. 

Journey shoved the clothes at him in relief. “Yes. Good idea,” she told him. He bowed his head a little, and ducked into the cave. Gandalf looked at her. 

“You should get inside,” he told her. “Before you become too frostbitten.”

“Dude, I’m okay. My stomach isn’t even hurting anymore…” she told him, making her way towards the cave door.

“Perhaps but that just means you are further along the trail of dying,” he explained. “You may not see it in yourself, or in the others, becasue it affects you as well...but you have been speaking like a child for about an hour now. Your mind has slowed. You must get warm,” he guided her into the dark. “Do not sleep, yet.”

What? Journey concentrated on her feet. They were dragging quite a bit. She tried to clench her hand into a fist. It didn’t happen. Hm, okay. Journey found Pippin and Gimli at the edge of the light of Gandalf’s staff. She fell into a seat besides them. She was tired. But nooo can’t sleep. Hypothermia would kill you if you slept. Journey sighed. She flicked at Pippins little nose.  
“Dude! No sleeping yet!” she coughed.  
“Frodo!” came a frantic voice from deeper in the cave. “Shit!”  
And then starting small in the darkness in a clump of roots, a fire.

COMING UP NEXT:  
-Repercussions  
-Isi just needs to take a minute, okay???  
-Sheesh.  
-Ok maybe it is actually a moment of weakness in which she opens up a little?  
-Or maybe it will drive her deeper into her shell of secrets and worry. YOU DON’T KNOW!!! XD


End file.
